More People Equals More Homes and New Schools For Wylie
By: Marlisa Goldsmith
Updated: October 10, 2012
Construction is everywhere you turn if you are in the Wylie area.
Although the community has been growing since 1981, there has been a huge influx in the past couple years.
"Many people want to be in a smaller school district than the Abilene Independent School District, so they're looking at a Clyde, Wylie, Jim Ned. Well of course, Wylie is the closest," says Richard Petree, the chief executive officer of the Central Appraisal District.
Wylie Intermediate Principal, Terry Hagler, says, "We've seen steady growth over the last decade, but nothing like we saw this year. We had a large increase at this campus, particularly in fourth grade."
This is the second year the Wylie school district has had to apply for a class waiver for the fourth grade level because their student to teacher ratio is currently at 23:1, when the state requires it to be 22:1.
Hagler continues, "But we're going to alleviate that problem next year. We're building a brand new middle school which is going to provide classrooms for fifth and sixth graders. So on this campus next year, we'll have nine available extra classrooms."
The Wylie area is not only attracting people from neighboring cities, but also people relocating to west Texas.
"The word with the military has tended to be, buy a house in the Wylie school district. It's values will hold well and even escalate," Petree explains.
That is exactly what attracted the Clark family.
"We asked for recommendations from people that were already here and everybody said the Wylie school district is where you want to be. We basically told our realtor only to look in the Wylie school district and that was our big draw," says Denise Clark.
Whether or not Wylie continues to expand, or stays where it is, only time will tell.
Although the community has been growing since 1981, there has been a huge influx in the past couple years.
"Many people want to be in a smaller school district than the Abilene Independent School District, so they're looking at a Clyde, Wylie, Jim Ned. Well of course, Wylie is the closest," says Richard Petree, the chief executive officer of the Central Appraisal District.
Wylie Intermediate Principal, Terry Hagler, says, "We've seen steady growth over the last decade, but nothing like we saw this year. We had a large increase at this campus, particularly in fourth grade."
This is the second year the Wylie school district has had to apply for a class waiver for the fourth grade level because their student to teacher ratio is currently at 23:1, when the state requires it to be 22:1.
Hagler continues, "But we're going to alleviate that problem next year. We're building a brand new middle school which is going to provide classrooms for fifth and sixth graders. So on this campus next year, we'll have nine available extra classrooms."
The Wylie area is not only attracting people from neighboring cities, but also people relocating to west Texas.
"The word with the military has tended to be, buy a house in the Wylie school district. It's values will hold well and even escalate," Petree explains.
That is exactly what attracted the Clark family.
"We asked for recommendations from people that were already here and everybody said the Wylie school district is where you want to be. We basically told our realtor only to look in the Wylie school district and that was our big draw," says Denise Clark.
Whether or not Wylie continues to expand, or stays where it is, only time will tell.
